A Fairy Without Wings
by Shadow of the Eye
Summary: AU. Where a broken soul lays in a hospital bed, unable to ever taste freedom again. /Maleval
1. Prologue

Author's Note: _This plot bunny popped into my head just a few hours ago and it's taken me over; I just had to get this story out. I've already mapped out the entire story and even have an epilogue in mind. BUT it's going to take me a while to write it all down.__  
_

_Mainly, I was just wondering what it would be like if the _Maleficent _characters were all humans living in the modern world, and that thought led to another and...plot bunny! So basically, this story is going to be using the original plot and placing it in the human world. Except, since humans don't have magic and whatnot, obviously this story is not going to be exactly the same. There are many things twisted to suit the story, and it's going to be a plot of its own rather than completely following the original plot line. However, it IS going to contain some of the original plot (just using it as a different twist)._

_Hope you guys like it._

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Maleficent_ or any of its characters.  
_

* * *

Beep. Beep.

The static noise drilled itself into her head, resonating every second, constantly reminding her that she was still alive.

Constantly reminding her why she was here.

Her emerald eyes scrutinized the room, drinking in all the details. It was white—stark white—and painfully so. The emptiness of the room only emphasized the lack of color and life. Only a chair and a window laid beside her, but the white curtains were closed and seemed to shun her from the world. IVs were hooked into her arm and the cords led to small machines that monitored her very existence. A vase full of bright pink roses sat on a small table next to her, coupled with a simple card that read, 'Get well soon!'

She narrowed her eyes and dropped her gaze down to her hands, which were both curled into fists. The edge of the white blanket crumpled underneath her grip. After a few silent minutes, she turned her gaze back to the card.

Slowly, she leaned back on her pillow and eased herself into comfort.

_I'm not going to get well… Not now, not soon, _she closed her eyes and sighed_, and probably not ever._

Beep. Beep.

* * *

_Sorry that was really short, but voila, that was the prologue. Tell me what you guys think of the story so far and if you would like to see more. Also, I still have some ideas for these two cuties so I'm going to be continuing _A Raven's Treasure; _but it'll be full of one-shots and drabbles, not multi-chaptered fics. So check that out if you want. _

_Criticism is much appreciated. _


	2. Chapter I

**. | Chapter 1 | .**

* * *

_"If I know what love is, it is because of you."_ —Herman Hesse

* * *

The streets echoed with the sound of the soles of his shoes slapping pavement but was drowned out in a blurred cacophony of noise. It was just past noon and the town was bustling with people. A few children filled the air with their laughter as they chased each other through the crowds, while one adult in particular voiced his distaste for the 'loud, noisy brats'. One child, blindly distracted by adrenaline, bumped into the running stranger.

"Oof!" His face rammed straight into the male's thighs. Clutching his nose, he mumbled a rather nasally apology. "Sorry, mister."

Once the stranger regained his lost balance, he smiled at the child and ruffled his hair. "Not a problem, kiddo. And the name's Diaval, not mister."

The child's face scrunched up in confusion. "D-Dabal?"

The raven-haired man merely laughed at the butchering of his name. "Dee-av-al."

"D…Diav…Diaval," he tried once more, then grinned from ear to ear once he had gotten it right. "Diaval!"

With a chuckle, he congratulated him with a pat on the back. "Great work! Now, why don't you return the favor and tell me your name?"

"My name is Phillip, Dia…Diaval." His small tongue slipped again, but he quickly fixed his tiny mistake all while still flashing a grin.

"Charming little kid, aren't you?" His face fell as he realized that he had to leave. "Sorry Phillip, but I'm already running late… I have to go see my mother at the hospital. She's terribly sick and I'd be a horrible son if I don't visit her as soon as possible."

"Oh… Okay…" The small brunet adorned an expression similar to his own, a little crestfallen that his new friend had to go so soon. Head hung low, the little boy stared at the ground for a bit until looking up at him through his brown locks. "W-will I see you again?"

And just like that, he felt a smile on his lips once more. "Of course, little one. Until then, be good for me, alright?"

"Alright…" Phillip's lips twitched into a small smile at the promise of a return. "Bye, D-Diaval!"

He waved before turning his back towards the man and ran as far as his little legs could carry him, shouting a, "Wait for me, guys!" to his other friends, trying his best to catch up with the group. Diaval shook his head but the smile and warmth in his eyes remained. _Kids… Such funny creatures, they are. _Crossing his arms and taking in the scene of the little children playing, he couldn't help but feel as if he was missing something. _Wait… Oh right! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late._ And with that, he broke into a sprint and raced towards the hospital, chastising himself the whole way there.

* * *

The enormous white building took him by surprise since the small town rarely offered its citizens any slice of city life. He felt a little stupid now that he looked at the large institution. He had taken a few small wrong turns here and there, thanks to his poor sense of direction. In the middle of panicking about his lack of punctuality, he failed to notice the obvious and very _large_ building that practically mapped out his route for him. _Well, at least I'm here, now…_ _Better late than never, they always say. _Feeling satisfied with his justification, he opened the glass doors and stepped in.

"Welcome, how may I help you?" a rather bored voice greeted him.

Following the voice, he found a receptionist sitting behind the counter, blankly staring at the computer screen as if it would offer her an adventure far away from her mundane life.

"Um, hello. I would like to visit my mother… Her name is Aileen Riley." He nervously tucked his hands into his pocket, watching as the woman clicked away on her mouse.

"And you are…?" she asked, still not looking up from the screen. _Click. Click._

"Her son, ma'am." At this point, she finally turned her gaze away from the computer, giving him a once-over, before returning back to the screen. Her fingers tapped away at the keyboard and the robotic manner in which she did only made him more nervous.

"Room 127." She grabbed a clip attached to a small piece of plastic and a pen, then hastily scribbled the number and handed it to him. Bold letters stood at the very top: Visitor's Pass.

Diaval mumbled a soft, "Thank you…" before taking it and clipping it onto the front of his shirt, then taking his leave to go find said room.

He walked through the halls and noticed the bleakness in the building. White, white, white. _Haven't they ever heard of something called color? _he idly wondered, the corners of his lips tugging in a frown. He never liked going to hospitals very much and did his best not to cringe. The atmosphere was always heavy and dreary. For a place so clean, he couldn't help but think of all the tainted memories that have been spilled on the very walls, knowing that each and every hallway has seen at least one battle between life and death. He chose to stare at the blank floor instead.

It was a silent walk there except for his shoes against the clean linoleum floors. A few nurses passed his way, probably to an operation or something, he figured. His eyes glanced around, the numbers all running through his head but none the one he wanted to see.

The number appeared after a few more footsteps and he stopped at the door, knocking. His mother would not hesitate to disown him if he did not exhibit the manners she had raised him with.

_Hm… No reply? Perhaps she is sleeping?_

He opened the door as quietly as he could manage but instantly froze when he came into the room. A woman sat on the bed, hooked up with cords and wires. The white hospital gown only made her porcelain skin look even paler, almost making her look sicker than she already did, with the cloth barely hanging onto her frail body. Her dark brown hair was short and thin, framing her face. She was comfortably leaning back on the pillows and staring at the window, although her curtain covered her view of the outside world. With a sigh, she turned her head to meet his gaze, but instead, stared at him in shock before recovering quickly.

"Well, you're not my normal doctor…" Her eyes raked over his form and he instantly felt small underneath her glare.

"I-I'm terribly sorry… I was looking for my mother—"

"Mother?" she parroted, then chuckled half-heartedly. "How peculiar, I don't recall being a mother to anyone. Not that I know of, anyway."

He relaxed a bit, relieved that she was making light of his mistake. "I'm sorry, miss, but I seem to have stumbled upon the wrong room. Is this not Room 127?"

"It is," she replied, pursing her lips a bit. "But this is Room 127A."

"…A? Are there rooms that go all the way to Z?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, unused to the idea of using the alphabet to differentiate numbers.

She smiled slightly, amused at his bewilderment. "No, there isn't. But there is a Room 127B. There's a separate wing to each floor, so each room in that wing has a B and each room on this floor has an A."

"Oh. My apologies, miss. I hope you don't mind my intrusion… The receptionist failed to mention that tidbit."

"I don't get very many welcome visitors," her eyes darted towards the wilting flowers and a card on a table, then back to him, "so it's alright…"

He coughed to chase away the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry to hear that…"

She nodded, then turned away to stare at the curtain once more. "Shouldn't you be paying your mother a visit?"

Realization dawned on him and he quickly jumped, color draining from his face. "Oh right! I'm late… She'll have my head for this!" He either did not realize the odd look she was giving him or did not care. "I'm already late by an hour! It was nice meeting you, miss, but I have to go."

And with a slight bow, he rushed out of the room.

Green eyes lingered on the door, leaving the woman to wonder about what just occurred.

* * *

_Since I am God awful at coming up with names...'fun' fact about this chapter: all the names in this chapter just kinda, happened. I was not intending for the kid at the beginning to be Phillip, but since I was drawing a blank as to what I should name him, I just figured: Eh, why not? And also, when I was trying to come up with a name for Diaval's mom, I read somewhere that in the original script, Diaval was supposed to be an Irish man with an Irish accent and was intended to be Maleficent's lover (YAY, Maleval is practically canon!) so I just randomly Googled Irish girl names. And the name Aileen just stood out to me. Turns out that it also means "noble", and I figured why not, since Diaval is a raven and ravens are depicted as honorable creatures. And the last name was just because of Sam Riley._

_Thank you to milarion1234, Diosa Luna, sBerry181, and Kokospinguin for reviewing! Thank you to I luv Milarion 1201 and DarthWasabi for favoriting! Thank you to Diosa Luna, kurotenshi-08, The Silver Trumpet, Crimson Pendent, sBerry181, I luv Milarion 1201, and Kokospinguin for following! _

_Also, to milarion1234: Thank you for the lovely review; I'm sorry I couldn't reply since you were on a Guest account, but I hope you see this and know that I appreciate your kind words and the support by reading my story :)_

__Hope you guys enjoyed the first real chapter!__


	3. Chapter II

**. | Chapter 2 | .**

* * *

_"Love is the same, for a poor man and a king." _—Unknown

* * *

"…val? Diaval…?"

The raven jolted upright, startled by the sudden intrusion to his reverie. "Hm…? Yes, mother? What is it? Do you need some more water? More blankets? Pillows, perhaps?" He leaned forward to grab the pillows that laid on the side of the bed.

Her hand reached out and gently grabbed Diaval's wrist, stopping him. The older woman sighed and the slight wrinkles on her face became more visible. She was a carbon copy of Diaval: her long, black hair flowed down to her back, matching her onyx eyes, which were currently closed in disapproval. "No, Diaval. Is it too much to ask for some attention from my only son?"

Guilt washed over him and he sat back down in his chair, though his frame drooped at his mother's words. "I'm sorry…"

She shook her head with a small smile. "You know I only joke, Diaval. Don't mind it. Now, tell me what's on your mind. You seemed distracted."

In all honesty, Diaval hadn't even noticed that he was lost in thought until his mother pulled him out of it. "To be truthful, I really don't know." His eyebrows knitted close together in confusion and his eyes dropped to his lap, where his hands lay neatly folded.

"Hm…" Her expression matched his, trying to think of what could be bothering her child. "Has anything happened recently? Maybe you are still trying to adjust to this town."

He nodded. "It is true that this town is bigger than our home. Perhaps that's it, mother."

"Have you been able to meet new people?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well—a few people, mother, but not anyone close, no." The man adjusted himself, shifting in his seat. "The tenants are quite nice. They came and greeted me the day after the movers and I placed our things in our new apartment. I've also met a little boy named Phillip. He recently introduced me to his group of friends. A girl came up to me when I was buying groceries and the ingredients for the soup I brought you and we had a nice conversation," he rattled on, trying to remember every single friendly person he had met. "Um, there was also a woman… I-I um, accidentally…er…walked into her room—"

"Diaval, what!? I thought I raised you to be a gentleman—"

"Mother, it isn't like that!" Pink dusted his cheeks, embarrassed by both his own mistake and by his mother's implications. "It was an accident, I swear! And it was a week ago, in this hospital. Nothing more. Especially not what you're thinking…"

"Oh…" She visibly settled down, then quirked an eyebrow. "She's in this very hospital? What for?"

Diaval merely shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know… I left before I could ask." He paused, then his eyes widened as he realized... "I don't even know her name." A loud laugh echoed in the somewhat empty room, making the flush on Diaval's face even darker. "Mother!"

The woman stopped laughing, even though a tiny bit still remained on her lips. "I'm sorry, but I can't help how silly you are." A few chuckles escaped under her breath as she muttered, "_Don't even know her name…hah."_

* * *

"How did you like the soup?" he asked, taking one of the pillows and fluffing it up before putting it behind the older woman. "Would you like some more next time?"

"Diaval, I can take care of myself, thank you very much," she grumbled as she watched her son took the thin white sheet and covered her with it, practically tucking her in. "Do you forget that I am the very woman who raised you?"

"No, I did not forget. That is why I have to make sure you're safe and comfortable, because you are also the very woman I love and owe my life to."

She huffed indignantly. "Then you should know I am perfectly capable and do not need to be treated like a baby."

He threw a smirk at her. "Now you know how I've felt for 20 years."

She opened her mouth to retort, then quickly closed it and merely crossed her arms around her chest. After Diaval was finished, he sat back down in his chair, relaxing into the silence. She cradled her hands in her lap, losing herself in endless thoughts.

She took a glance around the room and a frown formed upon her face as she did. Like any other hospital room, there were complicated machines surrounding the bed and her onyx eyes traced a particular cord stemming from one up to her forearm. The ends of the cord stabbed deep into her flesh but bandages were tightly wrapped around the area. On the table, next to the container empty of the soup Diaval brought her, laid a variety of bottled medication, enough to fill up all the empty space. A wheelchair laid in the corner of the room right next to the door. A sigh escaped her and a weight pulled her heart down to her stomach.

She looked up at her son, the only thing she held dear to her, and sighed again. He looked at her, curiosity and worry twinkling in his eyes. "Yes, mother?"

She pursed her lips, glancing down at the blanket before returning her gaze towards him. "Diaval…"

"What is it?" He paused before motioning to the pillows. "More pillows?"

She allowed a small smile before slowly shaking her head. "Diaval… Listen… Whatever happens, happens. Don't worry about me so much, okay? You're young, you have so much potential; you have a whole future ahead of you."

The air darkened and Diaval felt as if he was being choked. His entire frame stiffened and his fists tightened. "Mother… We've been over this. Nothing will happen to you. I won't allow it." He took a deep breath, voice shaking just as much as his fists. "You've…you've made it through the hardest part, mother. The surgery is over and done with… Now we just have to help you recover."

"But what if something goes wrong…? The doctors said that recovery is long and taxing. Nothing is guaranteed, Diaval… Anything could happen at this point. And even if things go smoothly, nothing will be the same anymore… What happens after?" Her voice dropped to a hoarse whisper and she stopped, choking back a sob as her eyes were already prickling with tears.

He fell silent at that.

* * *

_Yeah... Don't hate me. Maleficent's not in this chapter but she definitely will be in the next one! And I have been busy and horribly stuck with writer's block, which is why it's taken me so long to update. I'm still interested in this story, and I still have ideas for it and everything planned out. But I just have no idea how to actually write. So that will take a while. Thank you so much for your patience, I know that this short chapter has been long overdue. But I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. _

_Thank you to Panthermonspartner, milarion1234, I luv Milarion 1201, anisgilos aka anonymousse, Cookies, XticklemellamaX, Caricature of a Witch, Guest, and Rose-writer17 for reviewing! Thank you to FullMoonPhoenixShadow, XticklemellamaX, Stormy Trix, Zepharia, Tacodestroyeravenger, and ShadowriderST for favoriting! Thank you to FrostSapphire, Lectrice assidue, Panthermonspartner, TheEverHummingGirl, abrasiononknee, Jay-JayHaven0115, sarahlovescats98, Bookwyrm52, anisgilos aka anonymousse, nuclearbreakup, XticklemellamaX, Stormy Trix, Caricature of a Witch, Zieh, xxmelusinexx, IMRex, May Arisa, evildemonicoverlord13, Raphs No.1 Girl, Tacodestroyeravenger, cassidy-cries, Angel's Kiss 09, and BVBlover4ever for following!_

_Thank you sweets014 for favoriting me! I feel loved. _


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